Celebrating the Now

Do you ever feel like you are waiting to start living? Are you waiting for this or that to happen before you can finally relax and celebrate your destination? Check in with your thoughts for a day and see how often you’re replaying past experiences or overthinking what’s to come. Research shows us that mindfulness and savoring the moment are distinct predictors of positive emotions and psychological health- and we’re here for that!

The seventh and eighth limbs of yoga, dhyana and samadhi, are practices of concentration on what is here in this moment. Dhyana is a state of contemplation that involves quieting your mind and focusing on the present free of judgment or preference. Samadhi is a state of enlightenment, pure awareness, bliss, and oneness with all that is. This is where you become detached from the past and future and are living with full presence.

Whether it’s in your yoga practice, or your life in general, it’s common human experience to wish you were in another moment than the one you are in right now. Eckhart Tolle, Author of The Power of Now, reminds us that reality can only live in the present: “The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That’s all there ever is.”

Here are some practical steps to practice presence with what is and celebrate the now:

1. Set an Intention:

• Begin each practice by setting an intention to stay present. Remind yourself of this intention throughout your session to maintain focus.

2. Focus on Your Breath:

• Use your breath as an anchor to stay grounded in the present moment. Pay attention to each inhalation and exhalation, and notice how your breath supports your movements.

3. Engage Your Senses:

• Use your senses to stay connected to the present. Notice the feel of your mat, the sound of your breath, and the visual cues from your surroundings.

4. Practice Mindful Movement:

• Move slowly and mindfully, paying attention to the sensations in your body. Rather than rushing through poses and transitions, savor each movement. Focus on feeling into your body and experiencing your body, rather than worrying about what you look like.

5. Embrace a Beginner’s Mind:

• Approach each practice with a beginner’s mind, regardless of your experience level. Stay open to new experiences and discoveries in each pose.

6. Stay Curious:

• Maintain a sense of curiosity about your practice. Ask yourself questions like, “What can I learn from this pose?” or “How does my body feel in this moment?”

Remember, yoga at it’s heart, helps us remember we are always enough and everything we need is already here. So who you are and where you’re at right in this very moment is worthy of celebration!

Inviting Curiosity into Your Yoga Practice

Psychological research shows that adopting a mindset of curiosity can cultivate more self-acceptance and inner peace. How, exactly? Well, the very nature of a curious attitude can interrupt judgement of all kinds, especially self-judgement.

When we allow ourselves to get curious, in a way we are allowing ourselves to interact with the world the way infants do. Very young children explore their surroundings with bravery and excitement, and without expectations. When we live with a curious spirit, we aren’t really looking to put our thoughts, feelings, or experiences into a “good” or “bad” category. Rather, we start getting interested and inquisitive simply to get more information.

When it comes to yoga, inviting curiosity to live on the mat with you can help deepen your practice in a variety of ways:  

1. Enhance Self-Awareness:

Curiosity encourages self-exploration and helps you become more attuned to your body, mind, and emotions. By asking questions and exploring different aspects of your practice, you develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your needs.

2. Increase Mindfulness:

Being curious in your practice fosters a mindful approach, as it involves paying close attention to your experiences without judgment. This heightened awareness can lead to a more present and focused practice.

3. Foster Growth and Learning:

Curiosity drives you to explore new poses, techniques, and philosophies within yoga. This continual learning process keeps your practice dynamic and can lead to personal growth and transformation.

4. Reinforce Mind-Body Connection:

By being curious about the sensations, alignment, and effects of each pose, you can strengthen the mind-body connection. This awareness can enhance the physical and mental benefits of your practice.

So how can we apply a mindset of curiosity the next time we roll out our mat?

1.     Pranayama Techniques:

Experiment with various pranayama (breathing) techniques. Notice how different patterns of breathing influence your physical and mental state.

2.     Try Variations:

Experiment with different variations of familiar poses. Notice how slight adjustments in alignment, positioning, or using props can affect your experience of the pose. Curiosity may also be to ask you to experiment with two or three options for poses or props and then decide which of the two you prefer.

3.     Reflective Questions:

Ask yourself questions during and after practice. For example, "How does this pose make me feel?" or "What thoughts and emotions arise in this posture?"

4.     Interrupt Judgement:

If you notice self-judgement or comparison creep into your mind, try using curiosity to re-direct your thoughts. Turn “my balance is terrible today” into “I’m noticing my balance is a little off today. What’s another option I could take to make this posture more accessible right now?” Turn “no one else in class is struggling like me” into “that’s an interesting thought that came up. I’m going to let that go. I’m thankful for this body I have and all it can do.”

Inviting curiosity into your yoga practice can transform your experience, making it more dynamic, insightful, and fulfilling. By exploring new poses, tuning into sensations, practicing mindfulness, and engaging in self-inquiry, you can deepen your understanding and connection to yourself. Allow curiosity to dissolve self-judgement and use it as a tool to simply seek more information, both on and off your mat.

Encouraging Happiness, Freedom, & Unity for All

At PALM + PINE, we center our collective work around a simple sanskrit prayer: Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu, "May all beings be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of our own life contribute to the happiness and freedom for all." This intention serves as both the aim and the practice. It’s a call to direct our thoughts, words, and actions toward uplifting all beings everywhere.

This mantra is significant in the way it emphasizes the well-being of all living beings, transcending individual desires and focusing on collective happiness and freedom. Reciting this prayer can cultivate compassion and empathy, encouraging us to think beyond our own needs and consider the well-being of others. It serves as a reminder to contribute to the greater good. This prayer can also foster a sense of connection and unity with the world, enhancing spiritual growth and awareness.

Take your self-awareness a step further and consider these questions:

• How do my actions, both big and small, contribute to the happiness of those around me?

• How often do I practice empathy and compassion in my daily interactions?

• What challenges do I face in aligning my thoughts, words, and actions? How do I address these challenges?

• What does meaningful connection with others mean to me?

By using this prayer to become more aligned within ourselves, and more unified with those around us, we can foster powerful liberation for all. Chanting this mantra can help release negative emotions and promote feelings of love, kindness, and compassion, leading to emotional healing and balance. Regular practice of this mantra can improve focus and mental clarity, helping to quiet the mind and cultivate inner peace. It can also generate positive energy and uplift your mood. By fostering a mindset of compassion and empathy, this prayer can improve relationships and interactions with others, creating a more supportive and understanding community.

Incorporating "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu" into your daily practice can have profound effects on your emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. It reminds us of our interconnectedness and the impact of our actions on the world, encouraging a life of compassion, kindness, and positive contribution.

How can yoga nurture creativity?

Creative pursuits add variety, spontaneity, and delight to our daily experiences, making life more vibrant and fulfilling. Life without creativity would be dull and stagnant. Creativity is the seed of innovation, essential for solving problems and overcoming challenges. What’s more, creativity can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, while promoting feelings of joy, fulfillment, and self-confidence.

It’s normal to go through seasons when we feel more creative than others, but what can we do when we hit a dry spell and are craving more inspiration? Yoga practice can be a powerful catalyst for creativity! It can spark new ideas, insights, and expressions. Here are some ways yoga can get your creative juices flowing:

1.     Mind-Body Connection: Yoga promotes a deeper connection between the mind and body, which can help unlock creative potential. By practicing yoga asanas and focusing on breath awareness, you can cultivate greater body awareness and sensitivity, allowing you to tap into your intuition and creative impulses.

2.     Stress Reduction: Yoga offers effective tools for managing stress and promoting relaxation, which are essential for nurturing creativity. By calming the mind, yoga creates space for creative ideas to flow more freely and effortlessly.

3.     Mindfulness and Presence: Yoga cultivates mindfulness and presence by anchoring your attention in the present moment, detaching from fixation on thoughts or judgements. This heightened awareness allows you to fully engage with your creative process, whether it's writing, painting, or brainstorming, without being distracted or blocked by past regrets or future worries.

4.     Emotional Exploration: Yoga provides a safe space to explore and process emotions, which can fuel creativity. By releasing emotional blockages and accessing deeper layers of consciousness, you can tap into a rich reservoir of inspiration and creative energy.

5.     Inspiration and Insight: Yoga can spark inspiration and insight by opening you up to new perspectives and possibilities. Through practices like meditation and reflection, you can access the wisdom of your inner self and tap into the collective unconscious, where fresh ideas and solutions reside.

6.     Flow State: Yoga can help cultivate a state of flow, characterized by deep focus, heightened creativity, and a sense of effortless action. By practicing yoga regularly, you can learn to access this flow state more readily and sustain it for longer periods, enhancing your creative productivity.

7.     Self-Expression: At its roots, yoga encourages authentic self-expression by promoting self-awareness, kindness, and honesty. Through study of the 8 limbs of Yoga, consistently showing up for yourself on the mat, unlocking new potential is inevitable!

8.     Community and Collaboration: Yoga fosters a sense of community and collaboration, which can inspire and support creative endeavors. Through genuine connection with other people, you can exchange ideas, share resources, and collaborate on projects that inspire and uplift each other. Check out PALM + PINE’s upcoming workshops & events and get plugged in.

Yoga practice offers a holistic approach to nurturing this energy within ourselves. So, next time you’re needing a boost of inspiration, show up to your mat and see how integrating all parts of who you are can ignite beauty, meaning, richness, and creativity to your life!

How can I grow in my yoga practice?

Growth in yoga involves a combination of dedication, consistency, self-awareness, and openness to learn and explore. Because yoga is a holistic practice, growth may be noticed in how you're able to move with greater ease, your relationships are healthier, you notice less inner turbulence, you’re able to respond in situations were you used to react, you feel more ALIVE.

Here are pillars for the non-linear process of growth:

Consistency: The common sweet spot tends to be 3 practices per week. Whether it's a good day or crap day, show up to the mat and do what you can. Your future self with thank you. 

Explore: Try on different techniques, postures, and perspectives. Whether it’s Classic Flow, Slow Flow, Power Flow, Yoga Strength with Weights, Rest + Renew, Flow + Meditation, or Yoga Nidra, each format offers unique benefits and challenges.

Set an Intention: Before each practice, set a clear intention or focus for your session. Whether it's cultivating endurance, balance, kindness, or presence, a specific aim to return to can enhance your concentration, experience, and keep you motivated.

Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your body's signals in the form of sensation and honor its needs. It’s ok to be uncomfortable, in fact learning how to be ok with discomfort provides necessary growth for most of us. Pain on the other hand, is your body’s way of showing you a limit and to choose a kinder option.

Challenge Yourself: Challenge your limiting beliefs, doubt your doubts, and remember growth happens as we move beyond comfort zones. Try on new poses or variations, sign-up for a workshop, and celebrate yourself when you notice you’ve tapped into new potential!

Work 1-on-1 with a Teacher: By working one-on-one with an experienced guide you can ask more in-depth questions and receive personalized guidance. Whether you’re new to yoga, recovering from an injury, or just feeling stuck in your practice, a private session will absolutely support your progress. PALM + PINE offers private and small groups sessions. Find more information here.

Build Community: Invite your buddy to yoga or introduce yourself to someone new at the studio. Cultivating the positive behaviors that lead to growth is easier and more enjoyable when done alongside others.

Study Yoga Philosophy: Dive deeper into the philosophical aspects of yoga by reading about it and studying ancients texts like the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, or Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Reflect on the teachings and contemplate how they apply to you on and off the mat. PALM + PINE has books available for purchase at both studios, along with a free community library.

Engage in Self-Reflection + Celebration: Notice how your practice influences your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and identify areas for growth and development. When you notice a shift, big or small, celebrate it!

Be Patient and Compassionate: Remember that progress in yoga is gradual and non-linear. Stay engaged in the moment, free of expectations and judgments. Be patient with yourself and approach your practice with kindness, compassion, and curiosity.

By incorporating these elements into your yoga practice, you can cultivate growth, deepen your understanding, and experience the transformative power of yoga on all levels of your being.

How to integrate integrity into your yoga practice

In yoga, integrity refers to the alignment of one’s actions, thoughts, and values. It involves living with honesty, authenticity, and a sense of moral responsibility in all aspects of life. Integrity is one of the foundational principles of yoga, guiding us in our journey toward self-awareness, personal growth, and spiritual development. So how exactly can we apply integrity in our yoga practice? There are a few elements to consider. When you step on your mat, allow the intention of integrity to guide your physical movement, breath, and focus.

1.       Asana (Physical Integrity)

When it comes to the physical poses of yoga, integrity refers to the positioning of your body in each posture to promote safety, stability, and optimal energy flow. It involves moving with awareness, mindfulness, and proper alignment. The goal of physical integrity is to prevent injury while promoting muscle engagement & strength, joint health and stability, and enhancing the mind-body connection.

2.       Pranayama (Breath Integrity)

In Sanskrit, “prana” means life energy and “yama” means control. This gives us pranayama: regulation of your breath (or life force). Breath integrity means maintaining conscious, steady, and controlled breath throughout your practice. It involves aligning your breath with specific movements, patterns, and intentions. One example is inhaling when you’re opening your body (like in extended mountain pose) and exhaling when you are closing your body (like when you bow into a forward fold.) Another example is using breath focus to keep your awareness in your body and out of your head. By cultivating breath integrity, you can access the profound benefits of pranayama, supporting physical health, mental clarity, and spiritual awakening.

3.       Drishti (Focal Integrity)

Drishti is a Sanskrit word that translates to “gaze” or “sight.” Finding a focused gaze or point of concentration plays a significant role in enhancing focus, balance, and inner awareness. Drishti can be used during the practice of asana, as well as meditation. Finding your Drishti in a balancing pose can help your stability in the posture as you fix your gaze on a specific spot in front of you. In meditation, finding your Drishti means focusing on a specific inner focal point to anchor your mind and deepen concentration. By integrating Drishti in your practice, you can experience deeper levels of presence, focus, and transformation on and off the mat.

Be Kind to Your Mind 20-Day Journey

Ready for a refresh? Join us for the Be Kind To Your Mind 20-Day Journey!

We’ll embark on a 20-day journey starting May 9th - May 29th to support our mind-body well-being through a daily yoga + meditation practice!  Whether you join us in-studio or online, it’s going to be empowering, nourishing, & challenging in the best way. 

When you sign-up for this challenge, we'll send you:

• A LIVE 10-minute community meditation @ 7AM every day via Zoom. Can’t make it? You’ll receive a link to the replay with access for 7 days. 

• Simple strategies to support your mental health and develop a meditation practice.

• A calendar with a recommended meditation or yoga practice from the OnDemand library. Taking a class in-studio or on Zoom is always an option for each day of the 20-day journey!

• A playlist to accompany your yoga practice at home or bring a little more joy as you move about your day!

Benefits of meditation*:

• promotes better sleep

• reduces stress & anxiety

• relieves pains

• improves symptoms of depression

• boosts memory & slows cognitive decline

• sharpens focus & concentration

*Research from Laura Dan, BSc, NDTR & Medically reviewed by Dr. Christopher Knee, ND

All the ways you can practice during the 20 days May 9 - 29th:

• In-person at our two studios, La Crosse & Holmen

• Live, Online over Zoom

• OnDemand recording or replays from a live Zoom class

Win prizes! Complete the challenge, snap a picture of your calendar to email to hello@palmandpineyoga.com, and be entered to WIN swag for you + a friend! In order to be eligible to win all daily yoga practices must be with PALM + PINE.

Bonus entries: Share your journey on social media by tagging @palmandpineyoga

How to participate: FREE for members! Not yet a member? Sign-up today and cancel anytime with a 30-day notice. New to PALM + PINE or haven’t visited for a while? Sign-up for our 20-day membership trial for $40.

• $88 if you sign-up to become a member today. Auto-renews every 30 days. Cancel anytime with a 30-day notice. 

• $99 to gift this experience to a loved one or join yourself as an unlimited member for one month (not auto-renewing, only available for purchase till May 9th)

• New to PALM + PINE? Sign-up for our 20-day membership trial for $40